EF #2: 😎 How to Find Steady Work

Hi Friend! 

I hope you had a great week! It’s Friday, which means you’re gearing up for the weekend where you both relax and maybe think about how to take your freelance business to the next level. (I often find my best ideas and inspiration occur when I’m not in “weekday business mode.”)

To exemplify the freelance lifestyle I choose to embrace, I’ll be sprinkling some photos in my newsletter from my travels—from both personal getaways and press trips. (I’m usually behind the camera—not in the photos.) Travel feeds my soul, and I’m blessed to be able to write about it.

This week, I had a client project get put on pause, totally disrupting my workflow and project calendar. I’d already turned down other work a few weeks ago to clear my calendar for this big project. But halfway through, the client had to temporarily pause the project.

This left a big gap in my schedule.

So, what did I do? I leaned hard into marketing.

I reached out to other clients, letting them know I've got an unexpected pocket of time if they need help with anything. I resumed sending letters of introduction (LOIs) to prospects, because consistently marketing my business is a must. And I've continued pitching editorial pieces, which I'd temporarily halted for a bit.

The result? I’ve got some new work lined up to fill in the gap.

This feeds into my focus for this issue: how to find steady work.

But this also illustrates that, no matter how long you've been freelancing, you still face challenges in your business—many of them out of your control.

Freelance Focus: How to Find Steady Work

If you want to thrive as a freelance writer, you need to lay the foundation for consistently finding good clients and getting repeat work. In today's newsletter, we'll tackle the challenge of finding steady work for a sustainable freelance writing business.

When I first started freelancing, I did it as a side gig to my full-time job. I worked at it part-time and the projects were sporadic. But when I took the plunge to full-time freelancing, I had to ensure that my “project pipeline” was full and would consistently generate a steady income.

In the beginning, I definitely experienced those feast-or-famine moments. Some months I had plenty of work lined up. Other months, I had just a handful of projects on my calendar. It was scary and frustrating. Plus, it really put a dent in my self-confidence, making me wonder if I was even good enough to be a freelance writer.

Is this feast-or-famine cycle a familiar hurdle for you? Inconsistent workloads lead to financial uncertainty, difficulty budgeting, unpredictable cashflow, overwhelming stress, and even missed opportunities for professional growth. Plus, you might feel pressured to accept low-paying or undesirable projects during slow periods, potentially compromising the quality of your work as you start to resent these projects or clients. This not only feeds into your waning self-esteem, it robs you of your joy and fulfillment in being a freelance writer.

Many freelance writers turn to job boards, content mills, or freelance platforms like Upwork and Fiverr to find clients. Most job boards draw stiff competition from hundreds of other freelancers vying for the same project, making it unlikely you’ll land the gig. Content mills pay writers pennies a word—not sustainable at all. And many of these low-paying freelance platforms pit freelancers against each other as they bid on projects, usually resulting in the lowest bidder winning. Not only does this encourage a race to the bottom as freelancers try to undercut their fees, it also devalues the skills they bring to the table.

So, what’s the solution?

Building a robust project pipeline begins with finding enough good clients to keep throwing work your way. And you need an effective framework to make it happen. 

I discovered that much of my feast-or-famine problem stemmed from my lack of inconsistent marketing. When I was busy working on projects, I didn’t really have time to market. But then three or four weeks later, I didn’t have many projects on my calendar. I quickly learned I had to make time to market—even when I was busy.

Ready to keep your project pipeline full?

7 Steps to Landing Steady Work

1.     Create a profile of your ideal target client. This works whether you’re targeting editors or marketing managers. Be clear about whom you want to work with. For example, I shy away from industries such as legal, finance, and tech. These topics are not in my wheelhouse, I don’t enjoy writing about them, and I have zero interest in learning about them—even though they’re often more lucrative industries. I prefer to write about the “softer” side of life—travel, food, lifestyle, and wellness.

For media outlets, consider their niche, topics, audience, local/state/national/global focus, etc. These could be print and digital outlets for consumer and business-to-business (B2B) audiences. For companies, consider factors such as industry, product/service, types of content they produce, company size, budget, B2B vs. consumer, etc. Don’t overlook nonprofits, hospitals, trade associations, and agencies, too.

2.     Discover where to find these clients. Time to research where to find your ideal clients. For media outlets, you can start with a media database like Muck Rack (free for journalists), which lists newspapers, magazines, websites, blogs, and broadcasts. You can also subscribe to several inexpensive and high-quality job board and pitch call subscriptions (about $3-$5/month) that curate opportunities (often from social media), such as Write Jobs PLUS+ and Sonia Weiser’s Opportunities of the Week.

For companies, you can start with associations or business directories. (Don’t overlook local directories, too—such as Orlando Business Journal, Chicago Business Journal, etc. These can be a goldmine for landing local clients.) You can look on LinkedIn, which will not only show you relevant companies but also show who works there and their titles—great for your outbound marketing efforts. And don’t forget about agencies, including public relations agencies, advertising agencies, and content marketing agencies. See Tools & Resources below for links to these resources.

3.     Market consistently. Whether you’re pitching your ideas to media outlets or you’re pitching your services to businesses and organizations, you need to be marketing on a regular basis. Set up a schedule that works for you, such as 30-60 minutes every Monday and Wednesday morning, or 15-minute blocks every day at 2:00 p.m., or whatever length and cadence works for you. (Personally, I market nearly every weekday morning for 15-30 minutes while I sip my coffee and watch Good Morning America. Great way to generate story ideas and catch up on trending topics.) The less work you have, the more you need to market. But even when you’re busy, carve time out to market at least weekly to keep your project pipeline full.

Include both inbound and outbound marketing methods, which I’ll cover frequently in this newsletter. Inbound marketing draws clients to you (i.e., having an updated website, keeping your LinkedIn profile current, blogging, adding new clips to portfolio sites like Contently and Skyword, and maintaining a positive and engaging social media presence). Outbound marketing involves you reaching out to clients leveraging strategies like sending LOIs, pitching editors, sending out direct mail materials, and attending networking events. You need to do both consistently for the best results.

4.     Do good work. This might seem like a no-brainer, but you’d be surprised how often I hear editors saying that many writers turn in sloppy work, miss deadlines, ghost them, and aren’t available for edits. They thank me for turning in clean copy, meeting the deadline, and being available for edits—as if I’m a freelancing unicorn. (Maybe I am?) Whenever you work with an editor or client, give your best effort. You should fact check your work, submit clean copy (so it doesn’t need a lot of editing), meet your deadline, be open to feedback, be available for revisions, and communicate. Develop a reputation as a reliable, professional freelancer and editors and clients will start coming to you when they need to outsource work.

5.     Build relationships. You don’t need to be friends with your editors and clients (though there’s nothing wrong with that). But you do need to nurture professional relationships. Ditch the transactional mindset with your clients and remember that you’re dealing with real humans at the other end of the phone or email. Ask clients about their weekend, their kids, or their pets. Comment on their LinkedIn posts. Share articles relevant to their industry or interests. Congratulate them on an award. And, above all, make it easy for them to work with you. Besides doing good work, as mentioned above, go above and beyond in whatever way helps them. Include multiple headline options, provide a Dropbox link to hi-res photos, or suggest a few marketing ideas.

6.     Ask for referrals. After you’ve completed your first few projects, ask clients for referrals to other colleagues, other departments, or other divisions within their organization—or anyone else they think might benefit from your services. One of the best ways to get steady work is from word-of-mouth referrals from clients you’ve already worked with. They know the quality of your work, they can vouch for your skills and professionalism, and they know you deliver what you promise. And don’t limit referrals to clients—ask other writers and your own personal and professional network. I’ve both shared leads with other writers and gotten work from them as well. Instead of thinking of other freelancers as your competition, think of them as your support community—similar to how I feel when I enter my yoga studio. We’re all here for each other, doing our own thing. No need to compare or compete. There’s plenty of work to go around for everyone. Approach freelancing with a generosity mindset.

7.     Diversify your sources of income. This is probably one of the best ways to generate steady work. Don’t just limit yourself to news or editorial writing, though that can be part of the mix. Expand your idea of what freelancing can be. You might try content marketing, grant writing, sponsored/branded content, ghostwriting, copywriting, resume writing, book writing, script writing, or technical writing. You might translate your experience into opportunities such as teaching, consulting, or speaking engagements. You might try writing-adjacent opportunities such as editing, proofreading, content strategy, social media management, public relations, translation, or transcription. But most successful writers I know offer a mix of services to ensure they’re never too reliant on one income stream, one niche, one client, or one type of writing.

Eager to hear your take on this! Send me an email with your insights and feedback. I’m at [email protected].

Mindset Matters

Caitlin Clark, the college basketball phenom from the University of Iowa, was first pick at this week’s WNBA draft. After the Indiana Fever snapped her up, Clark cited her self-confidence and work ethic as a driving force for her success. In a Good Morning America interview, she said, “I bet on myself and always believed in myself. I worked really hard for it, and I think that’s what I’m really proud of. I earned it. I deserved it. Just believe in myself—and that’s what I’m going to try take to the next level.” This eyes-on-the-prize young woman said she’d dreamed of this moment since second grade. And after years of hard work and believing in herself, she’s now a pro baller.

Tools & Resources

If you haven’t yet hopped over to the new Resources page on the Expert•ish Freelancer website, check it out! I’ll be regularly adding a variety of resources that I use or have heard good things about, such as tools/services, podcasts, books, websites, etc. Plus, I’ll be adding my own checklists, tip sheets, and templates—like the new infographic 10 Steps to Kickstart Your Freelance Writing Journey—perfect for newbies as well as experienced freelancers who might need to revisit some of the basics. (Did you miss this in your inbox last Friday? I’ll occasionally be mailing out “bonus items” in between newsletter issues.) As a newsletter subscriber, you’ll be the first to know about these resources—many of which won’t be publicly available on this Resources page!

Mentioned in this newsletter:

• Associations and Nonprofits: Discover thousands of professional and membership associations, industry groups, trade organizations, and nonprofits at websites such as Directory of Associations, Wikipedia (for both international professional associations and U.S. industry trade groups), CauseIQ, and Charity Navigator.

• Contently: Freelance portfolio site that also connects freelancers with brands.

• Muck Rack: Media database and portfolio tool—free for journalists.

• O’Dwyer’s PR Rankings: Ranks public relations firms based on fees, location, and specialties.

• Write Jobs PLUS+: Affordable Patreon job board that rounds up the latest freelance/remote writing opportunities and calls for pitches with clear pay rates.

• Skyword: Freelance portfolio site that also connects freelancers with brands.

• Sonia Weiner’s Opportunities of the Week: Sonia scours social media, culling freelance pitching opportunities and distributing them through her weekly newsletter.

• The Business Journals: Great source for researching local companies in your area.

 High/Low

High: My article titled “Green Stars: Michelin Guide to award shines a spotlight on sustainable gastronomy” published this week in USA Today Sustainability (page 52-53). #endingtheweekstrong

Low: I’m still hearing crickets from several editors after following up on a few outstanding pitches that I haven’t placed yet. #pleasedontghostme

Up Next

Quite a few subscribers shared these common struggles that I’ll be addressing in the next few issues:

• How to get started

• How to gain momentum

• How to find steady work

• How to market yourself

Thanks for allowing me into your inbox!

 I look forward to sharing my freelance journey with you, and I look forward to hearing about yours. Just like in yoga, I’m only here as your guide. Take what works for you, and tweak it to your needs. Rinse. Repeat.

 In the meantime….

Be kind. Do good. Give thanks. 😊

With gratitude,
Lisa

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